The tacky, spirited, ultimately average and unanimously drunk of Austin gathered to celebrate a triumph of comedic movie making at Stubb’s BBQ as part of the national Lebowski Fest tour.

 “The Big Lebowski” was a flop when it was released in 1998, but it has since become a cult classic of epic proportions.

Many fans braved the cold on Friday night to sit in the dirty gravel of Stubb’s outside venue and drink White Russians, a marvelous concoction of vodka, Kahlua and cream, that is Jeffery Lebowski (better known as The Dude)’s drink of choice in the movie. Lebowski Fest is probably the only place on the planet where dudes dressed in giant bowling pin costumes get chicks.

Local band and Lebowski fans White Ghost Shivers kicked off the night with an eclectic fusion of ragtime, jazz, swing, bluegrass, vaudeville, twenties style vocals and silly fake moustaches.

The violinist had a very good Dude costume and impression, and the whole show was a riot, getting the audience ho-downed and riled up for the movie.

This was, with out a doubt, the most actively participated-in movie I’ve ever experienced. But before we could dive into the quotable goodness that is “The Big Lebowski,” there was a special surprise message from Jeff Bridges, who played The Dude, dressed in quintessential sweater and drinking a White Russian, apologizing that he couldn’t make the fest, and telling us that we were awesome.

 It was, in the words of a tipsy fellow sitting near me, “The most legit thing ever.”

For the first half hour of the movie the crowd cheered for absolutely everything.

Every memorable quote, which the movie abounds in, was yelled along with and cheered after.

There were cheers for the Dude setting his beer down. And every time a character walked on screen, they were greeted enthusiastically.

People in the audience were dressed up like characters, and would jump up when they came on screen, and be clapped and cheered.

Austin was the last stop in this year’s Lebowski Fest Tour, and we did us proud.     Am I wrong?